Intervertebral implants, that may be constructed, for example, as intervertebral disc prosthesis and are introduced into the intervertebral space between two adjacent intervertebral discs after the removal of a damaged, natural intervertebral disc or of a damaged nucleus of an intervertebral disc, have to be fixed on the end surfaces of the adjacent bodies of the vertebra, so that the implant could not move with the passage of time. In the fixing of the implant on the end plates of the bodies of the vertebra one differentiates between primary and secondary stabilization. The primary stabilization is necessary immediately following the operation and is preferably carried out by introducing anchoring means, fitted to the implant, into the end plates on the adjacent bodies of the vertebra. The secondary stabilization is achieved by the bone growing on the implant, but one has to reckon with a period of approx. 6 weeks until an adequate fixing of the implant. From U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,465 Shinn an intervertebral disc prosthesis is known, that in one embodiment is fixed on the end plates of the adjacent bodies of the vertebra by means of pins that can pass through the cover plates fitted to the exterior of the implant. It is a disadvantage of this fixing when using these pins, that the pins have to be fastened on the end plates either prior to the introduction of the intervertebral disc prosthesis into the intervertebral space, what during the introduction of the implant into the intervertebral space demands an increased traction of both bodies of the vertebra, or that after the introduction of the implant into the intervertebral space the pins have to be individually pressed into the end plates of the adjacent bodies of the vertebra, resulting in a prolonged operating time.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,465 Shinn an intervertebral disc prosthesis is known, that in one embodiment is fixed on the end plates of the adjacent bodies of the vertebra by means of pins that can pass through the cover plates fitted to the exterior of the implant. It is a disadvantage of this fixing when using these pins, that the pins have to be fastened on the end plates either prior to the introduction of the intervertebral disc prosthesis into the intervertebral space, what during the introduction of the implant into the intervertebral space demands an increased traction of both bodies of the vertebra, or that after the introduction of the implant into the intervertebral space the pins have to be individually pressed into the end plates of the adjacent bodies of the vertebra, resulting in a prolonged operating time.